Burnout Recovery & Stress Relief

Who are you outside of what you do Reader? If you are a seasoned member of the Gmichelle Wellness community, there's a good chance you've heard this question before. (I ask it often!) It's important to check-in on this part of the burnout recovery journey, as many professionals find themselves over-identifying with their professional roles and titles. What's fueling your burnout? The trouble with over-identifying with your profession is that you could risk losing who you are in the process....

In the spirit of transparency Reader, my creative energy these days has been low. Typically, I'm full of ideas and bursting at the seams to share my thoughts (and opinions on the things!) with you. But on my own burnout recovery journey, I've had to learn to be honest with myself around when my energy is low. I'm still learning to challenge my inner critic and swap out negative self-talk with self-compassion as often as possible. I'm still unlearning toxic productivity while living within a...

Read my blog on reducing meeting fatigue Reader, I just can't tell you how often I hear "this could have been an email" in reference to causes of burnout in my workshops. Many professionals are spending large parts of their day in back-to-back meetings. And while meeting with the people you work with is necessary and important, this day and age, the more time spent in meetings isn't necessarily equating to an increase in productivity for many people and organizations. In my Google-ing on this...

I know you've been there Reader. Your alarm goes off and you realize you just didn't get the quality sleep you needed last night. You wake up feeling groggy, tired and off. Your energy is low and honestly, no amount of caffeine will substitute being able to crawl back into your bed and restart your morning. Hey, low energy days happen to all of us. But instead of normalizing that we don't wake up refreshed every morning, we are often taught to just push through the tiredness. The expectations...

Reader, just how much of your week is dedicated to doing things that feel obligatory? Seriously. Think about it. This is a question that I too have been sitting with on my own burnout recovery journey. Many of us busy, hard-working folks are good for checking items off the to-do list, making the most of every waking minute and habitually overscheduling ourselves to make sure that we are always being "productive". What is toxic productivity? It's possible that we can become so responsible and...

Many organizations are fully aware that their staff are burnt out, but struggle with knowing what to do about it. Fortunately, that's where I come in. I've created a series of workshops, designed to help your organization recover and prevent future experiences of burnout, chronic stress and capitalist fatigue. My series of workshops tackles some of the most challenging parts of recovering from burnout, such as: Discovering practical ways to manage stress Developing assertive boundaries Making...

Reader, there has been a lot going on this month and we're only barely halfway through the first month of the year. With inauguration day on the horizon, I wanted to check in and see how you were doing. (And it's on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. day too? Whew.) I'll tell you what, this week I'm spending less time in front of screens and more time taking naps, learning a couple of new recipes and diving into my latest book from my local library. Here's your gentle reminder to join me in resisting...

Reader, I am still in awe of Beyoncé’s Christmas Day performance. Completely. in. awe. Our favorite rodeo queen stole the show, with a bright white showcase of her latest album, Cowboy Carter. She stunned us during halftime with choreography, cowboy hats and intentional nods to Black history, powered by her beautiful voice and truly dazzling performance. Whew!After witnessing this performance, I’m inspired once again to resist shrinking myself. Many Black women feel pressured to tone it down...

Reader, what's a hobby that you'd love to get into? And when I say hobby, I mean a non-work-related or income-generating activity or pastime that brings you joy, peace and/or ease. (Yup, this definition of hobbies doesn't include side hustles my friend.) My hobby? Reading. As a kid, you could always find my nose deep into a fictional story. My mom would take my brother and I to our local library often, and I would leave with my arms full of stories to dive into once we got home. Reading was a...

Reader, words mean things. And I love diving into the meanings of words. In my trainings, I often start with offering a breakdown of some of the terms we will discuss together. In my e-course about understanding your burnout and stress cycles, I share what it means to feel chronically stressed. When your body experiences stress in a chronic way, this typically means three things are happening simultaneously: The stressors you're facing are complex to overcome, challenging to what you already...